Friends of the Earth today warmly welcomed the first report of the House of Commons Select Committee for the Environment on "Volatile Organic Compounds" which urges "the Government and local authorities to take immediate action to curb traffic growth" [1].

The MPs' report strips away Government pretence that current policies are adequate to protect public health or the environment, concluding that 75% VOC reductions, not the planned 30%, are needed.

The Environment Committee places the reduction of traffic growth firmly at the top of its agenda - prior to the Government response to last year's seminal Royal Commission on Environment Pollution report [2].

If the Committee's recommendations are accepted, the UK Government will also have to act to ban unnecessary car use during smog episodes and force oil companies and motor manufacturers to take further steps to cut pollution - for example to fit petrol pump controls and reformulate fuel.

Fiona Weir, Campaigns Director said:

"Pressure on the UK Government is now coming from all directions. Public opinion, expert advisers and now MPs are saying that people have the right to breathe clean air, and that Government must act to meet health protection targets."

The Environment Committee's backing for a tough 50 parts per million health protection target for ozone, the main component of summertime smog, is particularly welcome [3]. The evidence of health impacts at low levels of ozone is now very strong. The World Health Organisation (1987) and Department of the Environment's own Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards (1994) backed the 50 parts per billion target [4]. However industry has lobbied hard against such a standard. more follows ....

PAGE 2 FRIENDS OF THE EARTH When the UK Air Quality Strategy "Air Quality: meeting the challenge" was published in January this year, the Department of the Environment ducked the issue by recommending "further discussion" of a proposed ozone standard [5].

The Committee gives enthusiastic support to many measures proposed by the Royal Commission on Environment Pollution (RCEP) report on Transport last October for tackling traffic growth. The timing is significant because the Government response to the RCEP transport report is due over the next few months.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

[1] The first report of the House of Commons Select Committee for the Environment on "Volatile Organic Compounds" was published today. FOE gave written and oral evidence to the House of Commons Enquiry on Volatile Organic Compounds. Copies are available on request.

[2] The 18th report of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution "Transport and the Environment" was published last November. It contained over 100 recommendations for changes to transport policy designed to reduce the growth of road traffic.

[3] Ozone, the main constituent of summertime smog is formed by the reaction of volatile organic compounds with other pollutants in the presence of strong sunlight. Exceedances of the Select Committee's recommended target take place over many parts of southern England in most summers.

[4] World Health Organisation (1987) "Air Quality Guidelines for Europe" WHO Regional Publications European Series No. 23 Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards (1994) "Ozone" Department of the Environment/HMSO

[5] Department of the Environment et al "Air Quality: meeting the challenge - the Government's strategic policies for air quality management".